US defence chief likely to visit India

NEW DELHI: US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is likely to visit India next week, an Indian government source said on Sunday, reported a British wire service. The first person visit by a top official of the new US President Joe Biden’s administration will focus on enhancing cooperation, said the source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Austin plans to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit sometime in the week of March 15, the official added. The first Black US defence chief will join Secretary of State Antony Blinken on a visit to Japan and South Korea, sources said on Thursday. It was not immediately clear if Blinken will also visit India. The US Embassy in New Delhi referred a request for comment to the Defence Department, which could not be reached outside regular business hours.